Nel 1872, il combattente indiano Johnny MacKay viene nominato commissario per la pace per il territorio della California e dell'Oregon, ma deve affrontare la dura opposizione dei Modoc, rinn... Leggi tuttoNel 1872, il combattente indiano Johnny MacKay viene nominato commissario per la pace per il territorio della California e dell'Oregon, ma deve affrontare la dura opposizione dei Modoc, rinnegati guidati dal loro capo capitano Jack.Nel 1872, il combattente indiano Johnny MacKay viene nominato commissario per la pace per il territorio della California e dell'Oregon, ma deve affrontare la dura opposizione dei Modoc, rinnegati guidati dal loro capo capitano Jack.
- Regia
- Sceneggiatura
- Star
- Modoc Jim
- (as Frank de Kova)
- Capt. Alonzo Clark
- (as George Lewis)
Trama
Lo sapevi?
- QuizActor Charles Buchinsky (his birth name) changed his name to Charles Bronson, using his new moniker for the first time in this film, and remained so for the rest of his acting career.
- BlooperPresident Grant is shown wearing his Army uniform in the White House. This is inaccurate as General Grant resigned his commission in 1869.
- Citazioni
Dr. Thomas: Don't you feel like a murderer?
Johnny MacKay: No, sir.
Dr. Thomas: Shouldn't you?
Johnny MacKay: I've never shot anyone without cause. My job is to protect the wagon train. When somebody shoots at my people, I shoot back.
- ConnessioniFeatured in The Good Life (2007)
The film begins with Alan Ladd being summoned to the White House to talk with President Grant. It seems that Ladd was called because he is a famed 'Indian fighter' and knows a lot about the recent uprisings among the Modoc Indians in the Washington/Oregon area (though the film sure didn't look that that part of the country to me). Ladd is given a commission as a Peace Commissioner--to pacify the problems, not just go in and kill everyone!
As Peace Commissioner, Ladd is in a bind. Some settlers and a cavalry officer and his wife have been murdered. The settlers are calling for action, but Ladd can't just start killing Indians without knowing exactly who was at fault. Ladd's job sure looks like a tough one.
When you see Captain Jack (not the pirate but the leader of these Indians), you will not be surprised that he's not played by a real American-Indian--this was very typical for the time period. Heck, the 1950s saw the likes of Rock Hudson(!), Jeff Chandler and other non-natives playing Indians. In this film, Charles Bronson (!!) plays the renegade Indian warrior--the same man of Lithuanian ancestry who was born Charles Buchinsky! Well, at least he WAS able to carry off the role, as despite his very white ancestry his chiseled looks were a reasonable approximation for a Modoc Indian--though his nose is clearly not correct (you can't win 'em all). Anthony Caruso, an Italian-American, also plays a Modoc tribesman but frankly, he WAS able to carry off playing an Indian very well and you'd swear he was one himself. And, Mexican-born Rodolfo Acosta also plays one of the tribesmen. IMDb did not indicate he had Indian blood, either, but he, too, at least looked like a very good approximation of a Modoc Indian.
This is a well-polished and decent western with good production values. However, aside from discussing the Modocs (hardly a tribe mentioned in a typical western), there really is nothing new here. The Indians are, generally, shown as unreasonable savages and the day is saved by a combination of macho-Ladd and the US Cavalry. I am quite sure that the Modocs would have a different interpretations of these hostilities! Watchable and well made but also quite ordinary.
By the way, although the dates are wrong and several important omissions occur, the general facts of the film were essentially correct (there WAS a Captain Jack, for instance as well as a hold-out in the mountains by the warriors). There was a lot of friction between the Modoc tribe and settlers--with quite a few 'massacres'. However, by 1876 (when the film is set), the Modocs had been forcibly moved to Oklahoma and their leader hanged following the killing of a US Major. It makes for interesting reading and is actually a lot more interesting than this movie.
- planktonrules
- 26 giu 2010
- Permalink
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Dettagli
Botteghino
- Budget
- 1.100.000 USD (previsto)
- Tempo di esecuzione1 ora 51 minuti
- Proporzioni
- 2.55 : 1